Mammoth Cave National Park Comprehensive Trail Management Plan

Mammoth Cave National Park » Mammoth Cave National Park Comprehensive Trail Management Plan » Document List

It's Your Turn – We Hope to Hear from You

The Park staff has completed the draft version of the Comprehensive Trail Management Plan, and now it's your turn – time for you to review the draft plan and have your say. The comment period will run 60 days and we're hosting a public open house February 7, at the Mammoth Cave Hotel, where Park staff will be on hand to answer questions.

Good park management must balance two responsibilities: protecting the park's resources and providing for public use and enjoyment. The NPS Organic Act of 1916, which established the mandate of the Service, said it this way:

"…to conserve the scenery and the natural and the historic objects and the wild life therein and to provide for the enjoyment of the same in such manner and by such means as will leave them unimpaired for the enjoyment of future generations."

How do we keep the balance? My staff and I work on it every day, and this Plan is a perfect example. I'm pleased with the dedication and open-mindedness exhibited by Park staff, and the public, in gathering information and then drafting the Plan. We started with a wide range of alternatives and narrowed it to five. We evaluated the five through a "value analysis" decision-making process, to reach what we believe to be the Preferred Alternative.

But now it's your turn. The Plan and its Environmental Assessment, and the value analysis are posted online at http://parkplanning.nps.gov; you may also enter your comments on this website, or send them to us at Park headquarters.

Your thoughtful consideration of the Plan and all of its alternatives is needed and necessary – we want to hear from you.



Patrick Reed
Superintendent


Contact Information

Vickie Carson
Public Information Officer
270.758.2192
maca_ctmp@nps.gov